Band-cutter and feeder



v (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. E. DORTON. BAN-D CUTTER AND FEEDER. No. 506,422; Patented Oct. 10,1-893.

F4. #2 I, l al 5' 5%! R a W A (No Model.) B E DORTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2QBAND CUTTER AND FEEDER.

Patented Oct. 10, 1893.

(No Model.) a Sheet-Sheet 3.

R. E. 'DORTON.

BAND CUTTER AND FEEDER. 1 6,422. Patented Oct. 10', 1893;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. DORTON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

BAN D-CUTTER AND FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,422, datedOctober\10, 1893.

Application filed March 1, 1892- Serial No, 423,338. (No model.) v

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. DORTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBand-Cutters and Feeders and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame. I Y

My invention has for its object to provide an efiicient band cutter andfeeder for th rashing machines. To this end, I employa feeding devicearranged parallel with and delivering to the thrashing cylinder; aclearing device working against the back pressure from the feedingdevice to clear the same from any excess of stock accumulating betweenthe said feeding and clearing device, so as to prevent any excess ofstock being fed forward; a rotary band-cutter having feathering blades;a resisting surface for the band-cutter and the feeding device; a bundletable extending forward of the feed board provided with endlessconveyers delivering to the band cutter; a hood over-decking the feedingdevice and the band cutting and clearing devices open at its forward endand co-operating with the said devices to redeliver the excess of stockthrown back by the clearing device onto the conveyers; and a frictionclutch governorcontrolled by the velocity of the thrashing cylinder andI having driving connections with the bundle conveyers and the feedingdevice, whereby the feed of the stock will be checked or stoppedWhenever the thrashing cylinder falls below the speed required for theproper thrashing action. The feeding device is preferably in the form ofa rotary cylinder and the clearing devices and the band cutting knivesare preferably carried by one and the same cylinder, arranged in advanceof and parallel with the feed-cylinder.

Other novel features in the construction and arrangement-of the partswill appear in the detailed description and be particularly defined inthe claims.

A machine embodying the preferred form of my mechanism is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings. Therein like letters refer to like partsthroughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a left side elevation. of the machine, positions being takenwith reference to .an observer facing the travel of the stock,

some parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionof the same, some parts being broken away; and Fig. 3 is a plan view,some parts being removedand other parts broken away.

A represents a part of the separator.

I which in this machine constitutes the resistance surface for the feedcylinder "and the combined band cutting and clearing cylinder.

A 2 is the forwardly extended brace from the separator frame,forsupporting the outer end of the feed-board and some of the operativeparts. 7

A and A are respectively the thrashing cylinder and concave.

A is the driving pulley on the right. end of the shaft offthe thrashingcylinder.

B is the rotary cylinder constituting the feed-device.

C is the combined band cutting and clearing cylinder.

D is the bundle-table, extending forward of and in line with thefeed-board, and pivotally connected to the separator frame, at the headof the'feed-board and supported at its outer end by a pivoted truck andlock segment D and D to permit the angular adjustment of the same in thevertical plane.

' E are the conveyers, preferably in the form of independent toothedchains delivering to the feed-board'and band-cutter.

' G is the hood over-decking the feeding, band-cutting and'clearingdevices, open at its forward end. 1 v

H is the friction clutch governor.

The feedcylinder is provided with a series of feathering shafts B, whichhave rigidly securedthereto a series of spike-like teeth B which are soset that they will always stand,

under their feathering action, at an angle tothe feed or travel'of thestock. As shown,

they stand approximately in vertical posi the main frame of B. The bandcutting knives C and the clearhead of the cylinder.

ing teeth C normally stand, in this machine approximately parallel withthe travel of the stock. The important point to be noticed in thisconnection, is that the knives-shouldalways extend backward withreference to the travel of the stock, so as to readily clear the same"after completing their cutting action; and that the clearing teeth Cshould always stand in such position that they will not in terfere' withthe normal flow of the stock, but will engage with all excess of thesam'e'which may accumulate under the back pressn re'from the feedcylinder B. It will thusbe seen that the teeth B of the feed-cylinderand the clearing teeth C on the combined band cutting and clearingcylinder have an important relation and co-operation with each other,the effect of which is to produce-a substantially uniform feed of thestock. The over-"decking hood G has its forward section set at an angleextending downward and forward, so that the co-operation of the clearingteeth 0 and the said hood will be to carry the excess of stock backwardover the combined band-cutting and clearing-cylinder C and deliver thesame ontothe bundle=table D and the conveyers' E. The hood G ispreferably made up'of fixed sections' and pivoted sections, the pivotedsections serving to give ready access to the working parts and to permita yielding action to the hood at certain points where required. Theparticular pivoted section of the'hood located between thethra shin gcylinder and the feed cylinder is provided with a filling block G, whichserves to prevent an excessive back draftand outwardmovem'ent ofthe'dust from the thrashing cylinder. v

Any suitable mechanism may beemployed to eifect the feathering action ofthe shafts B and C. Many forms of mechanism capable of this function areold and well-knownin the arts, especially as applied for feathering thepaddles of'paddle-W'neel boats. I have used and show for the purpose,epicyclic' trains of gears. Of thesetrains, the inner end member' K isloosely mounted on the cylinder shaft and is keyed to'the rightbearing-box of the said shaft, so as to be held rigidly with thesaidbearing box. The outer end member K of the said train, is keyed to thefeathering shaft, and the intermediate member K is mounted on astudshaft K fixed to the The outer and inner members of the said trainmust be of the same size. The intermediate member may be of any size.The members of this train move in the directionsindicate'd by thearrows; and the effect of the same is to hold the feathering shafts inconstant positions in respect to the movement of the cylinder. Thecentral member of the train is common to all the trains of gear carriedby each cylinder.

The friction clutch governor is, in the detail of its construction,identical with the so-called, automatic speed controlled clutch, shownand described in myformerPatentNo.439,490,

issued to me of date October 28, 1890, entitled band-cutter and feeder.A detailed description of the construction of this governor is notdeemed necessary for thepurposes of this case. It will probablybesufiicient to state that it comprises'a-hollow pulley I'I', looselymounted on the shaft P, which is themain driving-shaft for theband-cutting and feed ing mechanism; and a pair of radiallymoving'fri'ction shoes H mounted for'ra'dial movementona head-bar H'keyed to the shaft; and spring-held pivoted weights H arranged toeflFect the radial motion of thefriction shoes under the movement of thesaid shaft and head-bar. \Vhenever the centrifugal force overcomes thetension of the springs,- the shoes will he bron'ght into frictionalengagement with the rim of the pulley and cause the same to move withthe shaft. The powershaft P carries at its right=hand end a drivingpulley Pf connectedby belt P with the pulley A of the thrashingcylinder. The

power from the engine (not shown) is applied tothe' pulley A of thethrashing cylinder by the main driving belt A (only partially shown).This main belt A works over the top of the belt P before described. Inother words, the main belt simply encircles the belt P and works overthe same pulley A The hub of the governor pulley H'is provided with asmall sprocket H connected by a sprocket chain R with a sprocket-wheel Ron a counter-shaft R supported in bearings on the front braces A of theseparator frame. The connter shaft R carries on its outer end a smallsprocket; R connected by sprocketchain R with a sprocket B on the leftend of the shaft of the feed-cylinder. The countershaft R also carries asprocket R connected by chain R with a sprocket E" on. a shaft E whichis provided with a gearE meshing with the gear E ontheconveyor-driving-shaft E The power shaftP has rigidly secured theretoa sprocket P connected by chain P with a sprocket C on the left end ofthe combined band-cutting and clearing cylinder shaft. The conveyershaft E has sprockets E engaging the toothed conveyer chains E. It isevident that, with this arrangement of the driving-gear, theband-cutting and clearing cylinder 0 will be kept in constant motion;and that the feed cylinder'B and theconveyers E will move whenever thegovernor pulley moves. The thrashing cylinder is run at the customaryhigh rate of speed, preferably about twelve to fourteen hundredrevolutions perminute. The feed cylinder is driven at a slow speed,preferably from twenty to thirty,

revolutions per minute. The combined bandcutting and clearing cylinderis driven at a high rate of speed relatively to the feed cyl-. inder,preferably from two hundred and fifty to three hundred revolutions perminute. The toothed conveyers E travel at the rate of about fifty toeighty feet per minute. The feed cylinder B is so located with referenceto the thrashing cylinder that the reach between the two on the line ofthe feed is less. than the length of the grain stalks. Hence, the buttsof a bundle or bunch of stock will be held by the teeth of the feedcylinder, while the forward ends of the same will be engaged by thethrashing cylinder; and owing to the fact that the feed cylinder movesatsuch a slow rate of speed and that the thrashing cylinder moves atsuch a high ,rate'of speed, the feed cylinder has a retarding. effect onthe stock relatively to the movement of the thrash-.

ing cylinder and the latter has a drawing and stripping effect on thestock while restrained or retarded bythe feed cylinder.

The general operation. of the machine is obvious from the descriptionalreadygiven; butmay be briefly summarized as followsp-. The. uncutbundles are thrown endwise on the bundle-table D, preferably-headsforward,-

and are fed forward by the conveyers E to the cylinder 0. Under theaction of, the

- knives on this cylinder, the bands will be cut and the bundles spreadout and opened up and the stock be fed forward to the feed-cylinder.Under the combined efiect of the two cylinders O and B, the properamountof the stock will be fed forward and delivered to the thrashingcylinder, and any excess of stock accumulating between the twocylinderswill be thrown backward by the clearing teeth 0 through the open endof-the hood G onto the conveyers E to be again presented thereby to theband-cutting cylinder. This clearing ac-.

tion is vital to the success of a band cutter and feeder. Otherwise, anover-feed would be effected and stock would accumulate-between the twocylinders undersuch great pressure as to choke down the feed-cylinderand produce breakage. The control of the governor also comes in, in thisconnection, to insure the proper action of.the operative parts.v Ifowingto the condition of the stock,

- as for example, when damp, matted, or otherwise difiicult to thrash,the speed of the thrashing cylinder should fall below the propermovement, to effect good work, the governor pulley H will be releasedfrom the friction shoes H permitting the feed cylinder'B and theconveyers E to stop, until the thrashing cylinder recovers its properspeed. Meantime, and at all times, the band cutting and clearingcylinder 0 is in continuous and rapid motion, the effect of forwardthestock or clear the feed cylinder and throats ofany accumulations of thesame over and above the normal feed. This leaves which vis either to Vthe, feed cylinder always in condition for action, when'the thrashing,cylinder is moving at the proper speed. The fact that the gov-.

ernor is a friction governor is also important to the success of theaction, as it permits a yielding action between its clutch members.

or frictional surfaces. This permits the pulley H of the governor andthe feed-cylinder anjdconveyers driven thereby to start gradually orwith a yielding action, ,if;necessary. It. also permits the feedcylinder and conveyers to slow up or stop under some conditions, even ifthe thrashing cylinder is running at full speed. This is desirable toavoid break-;

age on the entrance of solid materials, or the disarrangement of theconveyers or other parts. Interference withthe proper action, whether bythe way of the presence of .chok-- ing materials, or disarrangement ofany of the .parts, will be instantly revealed and breakage and danger ofaccidentsbe avoided;

. In addition to the functions, of .the .band. cutting cylinder C,herein beforespecified, it should also be noted that the construction issuch that it adapts itself to the proper drawon the uncut bundles. Inother .words,in

case the bundles should overlie each'otherand pile up, at the deliveryend of .the bun-. dleconveyers E, ,thefeathering action of the knives C.will simply. throw the top bundles outward and will not begin tohaveany draw on the uncut bundles, until approaching near. to the conveyers.It is therefore impossible to choke the band-cutter. overlie each other,stacking up against'the hood, for example, the upper bundles will simplystand there, as demonstrated by actual work, until the lower bundles aredrawn in};

By actual usagc,I.have demonstratedthat; this. machine will do good workand that it has largecapacity.

It will of course fications might be made in many of the de tails of theconstruction, andin the arrange-. ment of some of the parts. Forexample, the clearing teeth 0 and the band cutting knives C might becarried on independent cylinders, spaced apart from each other, with thelatter in front of the former.-

Having regard to the broad feature of cooperating feed-device deliveringdirectly to the thrashing mechanism and a clearing device working inconnection therewith, to prevent an excess of feed, I'desire to h'aveitun-j derstood that I do not limit myself tothe particular form of feeddevice and the particular form of clearing device herein shown' Thefeed-cylinder B herein.sh0wn and de-.

scribed as located parallel withthe thrashing'cylinder and with a reachbetween the If several bundles be understood,that modi-i- IIO two .ofless extent that the grain-stalks or bundles of grainto be thrashed, issimilarly shown and described and claimed in my pending applicationSerial No. 423,337, filed of date March 1, 1892, entitled method of andapparatus for feeding stock to thrashing machines.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

1. In a thrashing machine the combination with band cutting and feedingdevices and a thrashingcylinder, of mechanism constructed and operatingto remove any excess of stock which may accumulate between the bandcutting devices and the thrashing cylinder and deposit thesame infrontof the band cutting mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the thrashing cylinder,of a rotary cylinder rovided with feathering shafts and clearing teethcarried on and feathered by said shafts, adapted to throw outward to thefront of the machine any excess of stock which may accumulatebetweenthe=band-cutting mechanismand the thrashing cylinder.

3. In a-thrashin-g machine, the combination with the thrashing cylinder,of a rotary cylinder provided with feathering shafts, carryingbandcutting knives and clearing teeth,

the said cylinder operating to cut the bundles spread and forward thestock, and to throw outwardto the front any excess of stock which-mayaccumulate between the said band cutting and clearing cylinder and thesaid thrashing cylinder, substantially as described.

4. A feeding mechanism for thrashers, comprising a feed cylinder foreffecting a forced feed to the thrasher and a clearing cylinder forpreventing an excessive feed by said feed cylinder, the said clearingcylinder being arranged to work against the back pressure of the feedcylinder to throw backward and clear the same of any excess of stockaccumulating between the said cylinders.

5. A feeding mechanisnrfor thrashers, comprising a feed cylinder and aclearing cylinder having forwardly projecting teeth, for preventing anexcessive feed by said feed cylinder, the saidclearin g cylinder beingarranged to work against the back pressure of the feed cylinder to throwbackward and clear the same of any excessof stock accumulating betweenthe two cylinders.

6. A feeding mechanism for thrashers com prising a toothed feed cylinderand a toothed clearing cylinder, the latter of which works against theback pressure of the former, the teeth of the feed cylinder beingarranged to engage stock to eifect anormal feed and clear theaccumulated excess of stock and the teeth on the clearing cylinder beingarranged to clear the normal feed of stock and to engage and return theexcess of stock accumulating between the two cylinders, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a thrashing machine, a band cutter consisting of a rotarycylinder, provided with feathering shafts carrying the band cuttingknives, substantially as described.

j inder and a combined band cutting and clearing cylinder provided witha series offbackwardly extended feathering knives and for- 3 wardlyextended feathering teeth, the said 3 combined cutting. and clearingcylinder being arranged in advance of and parallelwith the feedcylinder, the feathering. knives of the same serving'to out the bands,spread out 1 the bundles and supply the stock to the feed cylinder andthe said feathering teeth worki ing against the back pressure from thefeed cylinder and serving to catch and throw backward any excess ofstock which would other- 1 wise be carried forward by the'feed cylinder,1 substantially as described.

10. The feeding mechanism for thrashers, comprising the feed cylinderwith feathering i teeth standing at an angle tothe movement of the stockand the combined bandcutting and clearing cylinder provided withfeathering' knives and feathering teeth standing approximately parallelwith the line of thefeed, Z substantially as and for the purposesetforth.

11. A band cutter and feedercompri'singa i forwardly extended feedtable, a bundle'table extending forward of the feed-table and providedwith conveyers delivering thereto a feed cylinder parallel with anddelivering tothe thrashing cylinder,a combined band cutting and clearingcylinder overhanging the feed table in advance of andparallel withthefeed cylinder and provided with feathering shafts having securedthereto backwardly extended knives and forwardly extended clearing teethand an open ended hood over-decking the said cylinders and provided witha deflecting board for cooperation with said clearing teeth to redeliverto the conveyers the excess of stock thrown back thereby, substantiallyas described.

, 12. In a thrasher, the combination with the thrashing cylinder, of thefeed cylinder, the combined band cutting and clearing cylinder, theendless conveyers for supplying the bun dles, the friction clutchgovernor, driving connections arranged to keep the combined band cuttingand clearing cylinder in continuous motion, and driving connections fromthe thrashing cylinder to the said feed cylinder and the said conveyershaving said friction clutch governor as one element thereof,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. In a thrasher, the combination with the thrashing cylinderand afeeding device delivering directly thereto, of the combined band cuttingand clearing cylinder, the endless con 'BS'OHO element thereof,substantially as and, veyers for supplying the bundles, the fricfor thepurpose set forth. IO tion clutchgovernor driving connections, ar-Intestimonywhereofl affix my signature in ranged to keep the s'aid'band'cu'tting'and presence of two witnesses. clearing cylinder incontinuous motioniand ROBERT E. DOR'IQN.

driving connections from the thrashing cylin- Witnesses: der tothe saidfeed device and t0 the said con- J AS. F. WILLIAMSON, veyers, havingsaid friction clutch governor EMMA" F. 'ELMORE.

